Roasted Beets with Horseradish Cream

8-12 Beets (a mix of yellow and red are pretty)
2 whole garlic cloves sliced in half
2 tsp. thyme
1 small carton of sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
2 Tbls. horseradish, shredded
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the over to 400 degrees.

Cut the peeled garlic cloves in half. Cut the leaves off the beets and scrub them very well to remove all grit, sand and dirt. Trim the root end and place all of the beets in a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, thyme and garlic. Drizzle all with olive oil.

Cover loosely with tin foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, turn the beet around in the olive oil and continue roasting for another 30 minutes, or until soft to the touch.

Mix the horseradish cream by combining in a separate dipping sauce bowl the sour cream, mayo and horseradish until combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Adjust cream to your preference.

Cut the beets in half and arrange on plates and drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Serve with horseradish cream on the side as a dipping sauce to the beets.

FOODIE NOTE: I hosted my Fruit Liquor Tasting Dinner Party last night and served these beets with the cream sauce. Such an easy dish, but so pretty on a plate and hearty. Even if you think you hate beets, try them this way. The horseradish cream adds something that really makes the sweet beets come alive with robust flavor. 

Ah yes, Fruit Liquor. Remember that posting from 6 months ago? Well, it was time to crack it open and try it, and I thought potentially poisoning a few of my friends might be the easiest way to do it to see if the work had been worth it.

I invited 6 of my Foodie friends. I had a vegan, a meat and potato lover, an unknown and the rest were normal gourmet foodies . . .no pressure there. Well, with plenty of time to plan the menu in advance, I was able to come up with something that everyone could eat and enjoy, and with only a few minor set backs (exploding ravioli's, hubby's confusion on water glasses versus wine glasses, melting ice cream desserts and my not knowing that Ike Turner was dead) everything went well.

I used all of my most common tricks to ensure no party day jitters . . .cooked as much as I could in advance. Had everything in the oven cooking when guest started arriving in from the rain outside.

I even managed to put together this pretty table setting for the event. Awwwww!

But even with all of my pre-planning I still spent most of the party, up and down out of my chair serving courses, clearing plates away, pouring water and wine and preparing the next course.

So while everyone was eating one course, I would be in the kitchen preparing the next one, then I would go back to the table sit down and chat, a bite of food and a sip of wine, then it was back to the kitchen.

I didn't mind it, but I missed enjoying the moment of my own party with my friends because I was cooking. So, how do you host a dinner party for 8 people and still have time for your guests? I am wide open to suggestions, just not sure what the answer could have been that would have allowed me to have more time with my guests.

As for the fruit liquor? We sample the port and cherries that had been mingling together on my counter top, and it was very tasty. The fruit of the cherries seemed to soften the often hash after-taste of the port. Making prune and alcohol flavors, seem rounder with fruit flavor. Two thumbs up for the port  . . .however I am sad to report that my peaches and piscos was not nearly as good. I am thinking it will be a good sweetner this summer for my sweet tea drinks by the pool, but when tasted on it's own . . . I cannot think of one thing I would drink it with to make it taste better.

Such a lovely way to spend a cold winter's evening in
February in Kansas City. I enjoyed myself and I hope you all did too.

Comments

[meesha.v]

I missed the part where you peel the beets. Did you? Normally after roasting the skin comes off.I know and enjoy all kinds of beet recipes, salads and even borscht.I have a picture on my blog but I am too lazy to look for it now.
The best way to enjoy your own party is to serve all of your food at once.

[Jenny V.]

No peeling of beets necessary in this recipe, it just softens with the olive oil in the oven and when you slice them it just adds to the rustic appeal . . .no pun intended. Good advice about serving the food all at once . . .my issue is my dining room table was only big enough for the people sitting at it with no room to serve the food family style. I did do a couple of courses buffet style in my kitchen, but that always feel like a chow line at Cookie's camp out to me.